Bluetooth updated for mesh networking

16 August 2017 Editor's Choice News Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT

A highly anticipated mesh networking standard has been introduced to the Bluetooth specification by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the body responsible for the technology’s standards.

The mesh networking specifications, as well as the tools required to qualify Bluetooth products with mesh networking support, are now available at the Bluetooth website. Bluetooth mesh networking operates on Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) and is compatible with core specification version 4.0 and higher.

The new mesh capability enables many-to-many (m:m) device communications and is optimised for creating large-scale device networks. It is ideally suited for building automation, sensor networks and other IoT solutions where tens, hundreds or thousands of devices need to reliably and securely communicate with one another. A big draw card for Bluetooth mesh networking is that it can support additional services, such as asset tracking and way finding.

The standard adopts a full-stack approach that defines the low-level radio up to the high-level application layer, ensuring all aspects of the technology are fully specified. The crucial aspect of multi-vendor interoperability will be ensured through testing conducted during the specification development process, not after specification release.

For more information visit bluetooth.com/mesh

Further reading:

Barracuda commissions new IPC Class 3 aerospace facility
Barracuda Holdings Editor's Choice News
The company has commissioned a new dedicated IPC Class 3 facility in Somerset West. and has concluded a new investment partnership that will provide the capital and management capacity required to scale operations.

Read more...

---

Engineering copper grain structure for high-yield hybrid bonding in 3D packaging
Testerion Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
The way copper grains are sized and distributed forms the metallurgical foundation of hybrid bonding, enabling lower bonding temperatures, greater reliability, and stable grain structures throughout integration.

Read more...

---

Understanding solder dross: causes and control strategies
Truth Electronic Manufacturing Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Dross formation is an inevitable consequence of wave soldering. It occurs when molten solder comes into contact with oxygen, forming metal oxides that float on the surface of the solder bath. Over time, this oxidation byproduct accumulates and must be removed to maintain solder quality and process consistency.

Read more...

---

From the editor's desk: Could X-ray lithography disrupt the economics of advanced chip manufacturing?
Technews Publishing Editor's Choice
Advanced semiconductor manufacturing has reached a point where technical progress is increasingly constrained by economic reality, and the proposed use of X-ray lithography represents a bold attempt to reset these economics.

Read more...

---

Could the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act affect your electronics manufacturing business?
Altron Arrow Editor's Choice
South African companies exporting IoT devices to the European Union face a significant regulatory shift with the Cyber Resilience Act becoming mandatory in December 2027.

Read more...

---

From the editor's desk: Resilience and innovation in South Africa’s electronics sector
Technews Publishing Editor's Choice
For South Africa in particular, 2025 has been a year that highlighted the resilience and adaptability of our engineering community as we navigated shifting technologies and a fast-moving international landscape

Read more...

---

Powering the future of embedded control
Altron Arrow Editor's Choice DSP, Micros & Memory
As the demand for intelligent, connected, and energy-efficient systems grows, embedded engineers are under pressure to design faster, smarter, and more secure products

Read more...

---

Is it time for Wi-Fi 7 in SA?
Technews Publishing Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Wi-Fi 7, the IEEE 802.11be standard also known as Extremely High Throughput, is the next-gen wireless networking standard designed to dramatically improve speed, latency, efficiency, and reliability.

Read more...

---

20 years of precision, progress and purpose – the Jemstech journey
Jemstech Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Twenty years ago, Jemstech began as a small, determined venture built on technical excellence and trust. Today, it stands among South Africa’s leading electronic manufacturing service providers.

Read more...

---

A new era in wire bond inspection
Techmet Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Viscom is developing a 3D wire bond inspection system that incorporates substantially improved sensors, a high image resolution, and fast image data processing.

Read more...

---